In the Old Testament story, Jephthah vowed that if his Israelite army was victorious in battle, he would sacrifice to God the first thing he encountered on returning home. Having duly defeated the Ammonites, on his approach to the city he was met by his only daughter, who selflessly submitted to her father’s vow. This work belongs to a series featuring female protagonists painted during the artist’s first stay in England.

百度翻译：http://fanyi.baidu.com

　　耶弗他的女儿，有时后来被称为西拉或伊菲斯，是希伯来圣经中的一个人物，其故事在士师记11章中有所叙述。士师耶弗他刚在亚扪人的争战中获胜，就立誓要把从家里出来的第一样东西作为燔祭献给上帝。然而，他唯一的孩子，一个未透露姓名的女儿，出来迎接他跳舞和打鼓（第34节）。她鼓励耶弗他履行他的誓言（36节），但要求两个月为她的童贞哭泣（38节）。过了这段时间，耶弗他履行了他的誓言，献上了他的女儿。